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Mar 17, 2016

Scientology leader's father to publish 'Ruthless' memoir

March 16, 2016

Los Angeles Times

Michael Schaub

Ron Miscavige, the father of Scientology leader David Miscavige, has written a memoir about his controversial son.

St. Martin's Press will publish "Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige and Me" on May 3, according to a news release. The media described the memoir as "the only book to examine the origins of Scientology's current leader" and "a riveting insider's look at life within the world of Scientology."

Ron Miscavige and his family converted to Scientology in 1971, living for a few years in Saint Hill Manor, the British headquarters of the religion. They later returned to their home in Pennsylvania, and David Miscavige joined the Sea Org — a religious order within Scientology — at age 16.

The elder Miscavige, who now lives in Wisconsin, eventually left Scientology.

In an exclusive article published last year, the Los Angeles Times reportedthat Ron Miscavige was spied on for 18 months by two private investigators evidently working for the Church of Scientology.

One of the investigators, Dwayne S. Powell, was arrested in 2013 near Milwaukee with six guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition and a homemade silencer in his rented vehicle. He told police he had been hired by the Church of Scientology to spy on Ron Miscavige.

A police report about the incident says the elder Miscavige and his wife believed they were being targeted by his son. "They advised that Ronald's son, David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology, is obviously having them watched because they left the church two years ago and David is afraid that Ronald will speak with the media about the negative inner workings of the church and David's abuse of the members of the church," according to the report.

Through his attorney, David Miscavige denied that he was behind the surveillance of his father.

David Miscavige has been criticized by some former Scientology members, who claim he has a violent temper. In his book "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief," author Lawrence Wright wrote that several people claim to have been physically attacked by the church leader, who denies the allegations.

Ron Miscavige's memoir won't be the first book critical of Scientology to be written by a relative of David Miscavige. In 2013, David's niece Jenna Miscavige Hill published "Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape."